


Rest Beneath Your Smile

by zarabithia



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: F/M, Pre-New 52
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-30
Updated: 2007-04-30
Packaged: 2019-05-20 11:10:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14893506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarabithia/pseuds/zarabithia
Summary: Dick might have left the Titans behind, but the Titans still have each other.





	Rest Beneath Your Smile

On the day of the wedding, Kory takes great pains to dress "conservatively," something that she wishes she had help with, because Kory is well aware of exactly how bad she is at that particular task. But lacking assistance, she comes up with a pair of white chiffon pants and a purple top that does expose her arms, but covers both her breasts and belly button, which has always seemed important to the people of her adopted planet except on those occasions that she was in the middle of saving them. She even makes certain that her shoes cover up her toes and ties her hair back with a a purple ribbon. The ribbon doesn't feel strong enough, and Kory worries that perhaps it will not properly contain her hair, but she leaves it in anyway.

When she finishes dressing, she surveys her outfit critically in the mirror, wishing more than ever that Donna was here to help her. But Donna is away on space mission, which means that she will miss Dick's wedding. When Kory spoke to Donna about it, her Amazon sister did not particularly sound upset about the prospect. It's a feeling Kory understands, because she does not entirely wish to attend the wedding herself.

But Dick did deliver the invitation himself. It is perhaps the last request he will ever make of her, the last time he will ever acknowledge having cared for her, and for that reason, Kory cannot quite find the courage to say no.

But as she makes her way to the church, and walks up an aisle that is ridiculously similar to another one that Kory wishes she could forget, she wishes fervently for any number of superhuman interruptions that would allow her to bow out of the ceremony.

None occur.

There are only two other Titans in attendance, one standing at Dick's side, the other sitting by himself on the "groom's" side. Kory has never understood that tradition. On Tamaran there had been no such artificial separations; guests had sat in a circular patterned designed to show the unity of both families. She supposes, as she sits next to Roy, that for Dick's wedding, the separation is appropriate. Barbara had never been a Titan, nor would she ever want to be.

"Kory." Roy's smile is as warm than the snow melting on the Gotham ground outside the church. She idly recalls that her kind are not welcome in this city as Roy surveys her outfit. "You look nice."

"Thank you." She glances over his outfit, decides that telling him that his ill-fitting tux looks nice would be a lie, and instead asks, "I would have expected you to be the best man."

Roy shrugs and pulls at his tie. It looks as loosely bound as the ribbon in her hair, which somehow managed to stay in place during the flight to the church. "It's a Bat wedding. Dick ought to have a Bat for a best man, don't you think?"

"Tim is a Titan as well," she argues, smiling fondly at the boy who loves his older brother so very much. Tim grins at her, and Kory wonders if his big brother has even noticed that the sadness that had found Tim after Superboy's death clings still. The man who was once willing to promise his life to her sees the two redheads sitting together, and his brows come together in a frown that Kory does not understand before straightening into a smile that is no more sincere than that one Roy offers. Kory wonders why, on a day as joyous as today should be, that it is difficult for Dick to offer a sincere smile at the two of them.

And if it is so difficult for him, why he insisted on inviting them in the first place.

"He's a _Bat_ ," Roy hissed. "Walks like a Bat, talks like a Bat, represses like a Bat? It's a _Bat_."

"You can have more than one family," Kory argues, surveying those that have gathered in the church. Along with the Birds of Prey, most of the Justice League is present, including Dick's two favorite members, and Kory wonders why Roy is not sitting with his new team.

"Yeah. And eventually you'll have to pick between them. Titans lose to Bats each time, Kory. Haven't you figured that out by now?"

Her reply is lost as the music swells and the bride is ushered down the aisle to her waiting husband-to-be.

***

Kory finds Roy again when the ceremony is over, after the bird food has been thrown, during the reception. On her homeworld, the party welcoming in the dawn of a new union would have lasted two weeks, amongst the tent where the couple's union would have been repeatedly consecrated. There are similar ceremonies on Earth, but not in Gotham. In the cold, unforgiving city, celebrations are brief.

Her fellow Titan is hiding on one of many balconies that extending from Wayne Manor's ballroom, which is serving as a friendly reception hall for all but the two Titans in attendance. They are the only ones on the balcony, the other guests choosing the warmth of the hall over the chilly Gotham air.

"Despite all that has occurred between you, I would have thought that Lian would have been Dick's choice for flower girl," Kory says, in lieu of greeting. Her hand reaches up and scratches the nap of her neck, where the ribbon has been irritating her skin for a not short period of time.

"He asked. Lian declined." Roy shakes his head and takes another drink of the Earthly alcohol Kory has never cared for. "She's currently off on a camping trip with her Uncle Connor. I suppose it's just as well. I'm not much into a Daddy kind of mood tonight."

Kory nods and glances over her shoulder towards the glowing warmth of the ballroom. The happy couple are sitting side by side, eating their cake. They are surrounded by friends that Kory has never called hers. "How did Dick respond to Lian not wanting to be a part of his wedding?"

"He seemed hurt. . .and someday in the future, I might be bothered to care." Roy swirls his drink and frowns into the liquid, as though it was the one who is causing him harm. Kory tries not to think about the actual being doing that harm, as she knows that deep down, Dick would never intentionally harm him. "Besides, Sin made pretty enough of a flower girl. I'm not sure Barbara wanted the daughter of Dick's old fuck buddy to be in her wedding anyway."

"You meant more to him than that," Kory insists, with another backward glance. "Though, the fact that he is so willing to marry a childhood crush does make one wonder whether anyone he loved in the between time mattered at all."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Roy agrees softly. "We're losing him, you know." It's barely above a whisper.

"You should not begrudge his happiness on a day that should bring him joy," she scolds lightly.

Roy laughs. "He's happy, Kory, and I'm happy he's happy. I just. . . all that time spent, all those years he swore he didn't want to end up like Batman. . . Have you met Barbara?"

"Yes. She seems very. . .intelligent."

"She is. Very intelligent, and I hope Lian has half the drive and brains she has someday. But gods, Kory. She's so much like Batman it's scary."

"Batman seemed very happy today. I have never seen him smile so much."

"Of course he was happy." Roy's voice comes out lost between a chuckle and a spat. "Dick chose his world over ours. Tell me that's not exactly what the old bastard has always wanted?"

Kory feels the ribbon give way, finally allowing her hair to tumble freely over her shoulders. "It's what Dick chose. We can only hope his decision was less foolish than it appears."

"How can you be so nonchalant about this?" Roy's voice is frustrated, and she places a friendly hand on his cheek.

"Dick turned his back on his Titan family years ago, Roy," Kory responds. "Following Donna's death. And I do not believe he will ever come back to us. While that hurts, the Titans will not cease to be a family without Dick Grayson. We do still have each other."

He leans into her hand and smiles. It is the first genuine smile of the evening. "Yeah. Hey, what do you say we blow this joint and get some real food while we're at it?"

Kory nods her consent and lifts him into the air. They leave behind a hall full of guests, and a purple ribbon on the balcony floor.

***~~~***  



End file.
